


sanctify the love that you crave

by undeliveredtruth



Series: requests & randoms [1]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sort of Open Ending?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2020-04-12 06:58:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19126942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/undeliveredtruth/pseuds/undeliveredtruth
Summary: Seokmin is a baby angel with just a bit of a wild side. Jisoo is an older demon who hasbeenfor way too long. Human life teaches them there's way more to who you are than where you come from, and how easily everything can change.And that maybe the answer is as simple as each other.





	sanctify the love that you crave

**Author's Note:**

  * For [NikaPero](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikaPero/gifts).



> To kick off fulfilling my requests, this is angel/demon SeokSoo... which I definitely did not cry over, pff, me, no... Thank you NikaPero for the SeokSoo request! I really hope you like it! <3
> 
> Title is taken from Years and Years' _Sanctify._

"You're such a demon, Lee Chan," Soonyoung admonishes the youngest, and Jisoo maybe cringes a little bit. He always does when that word gets thrown out.

Because he is one. A demon, that is.

Across from him, Seokmin spares him a short glance. Jisoo meets it and smiles at him to reassure him it's alright.

Unlike what everyone thinks, being a demon is not a bad thing. Not necessarily. Like Earth, Heaven has its own rules and regulations too, its own internal politics that dictate the behavior of angels, who are the rulers and organizers, and that of the souls and energies that live in it, both those who just pass and go back and those who end up staying longer and strive to become angels. Keeping such an idealistic, perfect system ordained and organized is no easy task.

So Jisoo is not bitter he was banished or that he became a demon. Those are the rules. He made his decisions; his and Jeonghan's choice was his and Jeonghan's choice. And he was not unhappy in Hell; he found there much more freedom, acceptance for who he was. Hell is the definition of what humans call anarchy though; everybody seeks to make their desires come true, greedy for satisfaction even in their afterlife, barely ever deciding to go back to Earth for their souls to give life to another human. Why would they, when Hell has everything they could want and more? This is why Hell has barely any system for sending back people as new humans.

Jeonghan fit that life, managed to use it for himself to move up higher in the ranks. Not for bad things, because Jisoo knows Jeonghan wants to make things better.

Jisoo though... Jisoo didn't find much of a purpose for himself in Hell. So, despite how much Jeonghan complained and whined, Jisoo applied to be an Earth-bound demon. To inhabit a human body for a lifetime, make sure humans keep a balance of good and bad, good things don't break the balance and bad things don't either; it's a job everybody hates but Jisoo because all demons think it's too restrictive. He wasn't surprised he was accepted though; if they don't want to move up the ranks and help, ex-angel demons are not of much use in Hell.

Plus, he has the experience of the hundreds of times he has done it before.

So this is how Jisoo found himself here, and on top of that, living with a young Earth-bound angel who's going through angel training, the mandatory Earth orientation all young angels have to do before they can be truly ordained in Heaven.

Seokmin is the definition of an angel. Wherever he goes, the room brightens up with his smile. He is made to bring joy and happiness, he truly sees the best in people and can raise that good, nourish it and see it change the world. Even so, he became an angel in such a short amount of time too after reaching Heaven in this lifetime Jisoo was surprised when he heard.

After living with him for a while though, Jisoo could see why. First, Seokmin wanted to live with him even though Jisoo is a demon because he _'saw kindness in him.'_ Even though just the sight of Jisoo's massive red and black wings when he frees them would be enough to disturb any angel because they are clearly the wings of a fallen one, Seokmin was the one to convince him it would be good. Because they can learn from each other, and maybe Jisoo can give him some tips, teach him about humans and the world.

Second, Seokmin is motivated, driven. He is always on the move, always laughing, always smiling, always helping others, always seeking to brighten people's lives. Never backing down, never giving up. He is a young soul too, one who has been through life on Earth only a few hundreds of human years; Jisoo can see he never waited in Heaven to go back either, excited to be human again. Except this time, he decided to become an angel instead of having his memories wiped and going back as a human. He's an excited one, one who always moves, always goes, always does, always ready for new things and always making sure he makes them happen. Even if in angel form this time.

So when they reach home, it is almost natural Seokmin pesters Jisoo right when they walk through the front door.

"Are you alright? You are quite out of it today."

"I'm alright, Seokmin-ah," Jisoo answers. He is alright; maybe human life is just a little bit more dreary today, and Jisoo feels way more hopeless, aimless than usual. But as always, he is fine.

"You're not okay. Can you talk to me?" Seokmin pouts.

Jisoo might be an old demon, but his heart is human. And human hearts are _weak._

He doesn't say anything, but Seokmin always takes silence as an invitation. To butt into Jisoo's personal space, hug him so tight his bones break, shake some sense into him. Tickle him sometimes if he's feeling particularly happy and Jisoo seems inviting enough.

He doesn't this time. He just smiles at him, that small smile instead of his large grin that reaches into you, urges you to tell him, to let him help you.

Seokmin will be such a good angel.

\---

The light blinds Jisoo sometimes. Seokmin's light.

He misses it.

Because of Seokmin, he is able to say so. That he misses being up there, that despite never regretting his decisions, Jisoo misses it. Seeing the _aura_ that is always around Seokmin, he misses the light.

Seokmin hugs Chan tight when they leave the cafe they were hanging out, whispers something in his ear. Chan pulls away.

"Thank you, hyung. I'll do that. Thank you," he answers Seokmin honestly, love in his eyes. Jisoo figures it's hard not to be infatuated with Seokmin.

"Be careful, Channie. Don't break anyone's heart," Seokmin grins, ruffles his hair when they pull away.

They leave the cafe. Right when they do, a busy office worker zooms past them, his coffee in his right hand and his phone in his left. Jisoo doesn't really register it until after Seokmin moves and grabs the man by the bicep, saving him from walking into a pole.

"Be careful," Seokmin smiles at him, and the man seems flabbergasted, a bit confused by this weird stranger with his huge smile. But then he smiles and says an honest thank you, and moves on.

"I didn't see that," Jisoo tells him after Seokmin falls back into step with him.

"I live with you, hyung. I think I'm attuned to seeing when someone is about to fall or get hurt."

"You're talking?" Jisoo raises his eyebrows. " _You're_ the disaster, Seokmin-ah."

"Sure, hyung. Whatever you say," he grins.

\---

Jisoo is in love with Seokmin.

No matter how much Jeonghan makes fun of him, when he gets serious, he tells him too, that it's hopeless. That it's a disaster.

But Jisoo doesn't know how to stop this time. He pressed the gas pedal as far as it went, speeding down, and lost sight of the brakes a long time ago.

It's a stupid metaphor, but it's like he's in a speeding car sometimes. Giving him whiplash, scaring him because of how fast he's going, if he's about to hit something. If he's about to get hurt.

\---

"Hyung, let's go!"

"Where are we going? Jisoo shouts back from his place on the couch to Seokmin in his room.

"To a club! I told you yesterday, they all want to go and I said we'll join. Remember?"

Jisoo vaguely does remember... agreeing to something. He was kind of distracted though, he recalls.

"Let's go? We should leave soon, I said we'll meet them in 20," Seokmin walks out of the living room, Jisoo looking up from his book at him.

He wishes he hadn't. Seokmin's wearing a silky striped button-up shirt halfway tucked into ripped blue jeans, his hair styled up, earrings dangling, a necklace gleaming on his neck and thick silver bracelets on his wrist. What seems to be... lip tint too. His eyebrow arches at Jisoo, and he looks... deadly.

Jisoo gulps. He wants angel Seokmin back.

"Hyung?"

There's no word forming in Jisoo's mouth, nothing resembling a no.

So he gets up, and goes to his room. Now he has to find suitable clothes.

\---

They're late, but not because of Jisoo. Seokmin couldn't find his shoes, _'the ones that work well with this outfit, hyung, help me,'_ those ones, so Jisoo had to suffer through even more painstaking time with Seokmin in full light, looking dangerous as hell.

He figures that at least in the club, he can't see that well.

But in actuality, it's even worse. The low lights play off of Seokmin's jewelry, his shirt too, and even his attitude changes. He turns... intense. Somehow.

Soonyoung asks him what he wants to drink when they sit down on the couch they magically obtained, but Jisoo shakes his head.

"No, thank you. I'm fine," he tells Soonyoung, smiles at him.

"Oh come on, hyung, live a little," Seokmin tells him from next to him. "We have to have the full human experience, right?" He comes closer to Jisoo's ear to whisper. Jisoo looks at him, at the curve of his lips, only slightly turned up.

"Fine. Get me something."

Seokmin goes to find Soonyoung, bouncing off of the couch. Jisoo makes conversation with Minghao and Mingyu, letting them tell them about their latest incident involving their cats. It's admittedly hilarious, so Jiso doesn't register when Seokmin came back with their drinks until his elbow is nudged, and he makes room for Seokmin on the other side of him. What seems to be like 12 people on one club couch doesn't allow for too much room though, so Seokmin is pressed up against him, his thigh warm against Jisoo's.

This is the worst day for his patience. Seokmin is testing him, and Jisoo is so, _so afraid_ he'll snap and not be able to come back.

Three drinks in, Seokmin gets an even better idea.

"Wanna dance?"

"What?"

"Let's dance," he pouts, so at odds with his outfit, the look in his eyes. "I wanna dance."

In what universe would Jisoo be able to say no? So against his best interests, Jisoo gets up, Seokmin's fingers wrapping around his wrist.

Tight. Tighter than they should be.

They find a place on the dancefloor with Soonyoung and Minghao right when [the song changes,](https://youtu.be/zgoBqVRUqpA?t=140) and how is Jisoo supposed to dance to this?

30 seconds in, Soonyoung pulls Minghao's hand and they leave, probably to make out or something. Jisoo hates humans.

So that means Jisoo is left alone with Seokmin and the weight in his eyes.

Human bodies are weak too. So that means Jisoo is not as much in control as he'd usually be of himself, not enough to resist Seokmin's hand sneaking around his waist, the tightening crowd around them an excuse.

 _What a weak excuse,_ Jisoo thinks as his hands lay on Seokmin's shoulders, Seokmin's other hand resting on his hip.

The music is so loud, but Jisoo feels like he has tunnel vision on Seokmin, almost thinks he can hear his breath, his mouth close to Jisoo's ear. Everywhere they're touching _burns._ His thigh in between Jisoo's, his hands on his hips, following Jisoo's side-to-side movements, how his temple is touching his just a little.

The thing is, there's something inside Jisoo that relishes in this; in darkness, desire, lust, all these things that can change how you think, set you free to make decisions you never would if your circumstances didn't push you. There's clearly tension between him and Seokmin, only helped by the atmosphere, the low lights and the low song, and that makes Jisoo feel _good._

The chorus of the song slows down into a lower, more silent part, and Jisoo's pretty sure Seokmin's lips are pressing on his cheek, almost on his ear.

 _God._ If this song doesn't end quickly, Jisoo's going to throw all caution to the wind and end up making out with Seokmin right here. Seokmin's lips press more intently, until there's no room for doubt he means it, his hands grabbing at Jisoo's hips like he won't let him get away. He moves them, closer to Jisoo's cheekbone, Jisoo feeling his hot breath on his skin.

He has to say no. Jisoo has to say no, for him, for them, but this is so good. _So good._

So his hands interlock behind Seokmin's neck too, driving him just an inch closer, to show him...

Seokmin pulls away all of a sudden, leaving Jisoo confused, a decision not even needing to be made. He turns around too, and comes face to face with Seungkwan's worried face.

"I think Hansol's sick. I'm taking him home, but..."

"We'll help," Seokmin says right away, and Jisoo nods even though none of them are really looking at him.

\---

They don't take Hansol home; they take him to the hospital because they suspect someone slipped something in his drink. It's true, so they all stay over to confront a worried Seungkwan until the morning, when Hansol's released.

When they get back home, the click of the door feels awkward, strange. In the night, many things can change, but in the light...

Jisoo goes to his room. When he comes out a few hours later, Seokmin has his large smile back on, and offers to make lunch.

\---

"I know how I will die," Seokmin walks in and says one day. No prompting, no warning. He stands in front of the couch Jisoo's reading on, wearing shoes in the house again. Jisoo doesn't have any heart to berate him.

"Tomorrow morning, I'm going to get into a car accident. A car will pass a red light because the driver is still drunk from the party the night before and my body will be instantly killed. If I resist and not go out of the house, they'll make it painful. Something in the house will fall on me, or a fire will start in our apartment building. Someone else might die with me if I refuse to go."

Sometimes, Jisoo thinks of Heaven and wonders how a place so perfect can also be so cruel.

"I don't wanna go, hyung, I don't wanna go," Seokmin cries out. He bursts into silent tears, his eyebrows scrunching. Jisoo stands up, the book dropping somewhere on the couch, on the floor, along with the bookmark Seokmin gifted him inside of it. He hugs him. There is no comfort he can give Seokmin, can do nothing but remind him this is what he has been waiting for.

"You're finally becoming an angel, Seokmin-ah. A full angel who will help souls and people. You should be proud. You deserve it."

Seokmin only cries harder. It's raining today too, the pitter patter of the raindrops on their window drowning Jisoo's own disappointment, the sadness in the race of his own heart.

"See, hyung," he sniffles, his tears unsightly on his face. "You are good. You are so kind," Seokmin whispers.

Jisoo almost tears up with him. Seokmin is not innocent; he's purposeful, intelligent, knows what he's doing even when he races blindly ahead.

And like a fool, Jisoo let himself into his trap willingly, walked right into it and called himself comfortable, happy there. Let Seokmin unearth tens of thousands-year-old secrets, emotions he has not felt for so long.

But there is no way Jisoo will ever act on them. Seokmin is meant to be an angel, and corrupting him means him losing that forever.

It's the ultimate law, the only one Heaven and Hell agreed on: any angel and demon who are together are banished to being human for a full lifetime. When they die, they shall return to where they came from, but no angel could ever be an angel again in Heaven, forever doomed to going back to being a returning human soul. They'd have to become human every time Heaven decides they shall come back to Earth, and there's no given they'll be good. They could be a bad person and go to Hell forever.

Jisoo won't corrupt Seokmin. He won't give in to the demon inside of him.

\---

Seokmin cuddles with him that night. They’ve not done it before, even though Seokmin is naturally clingy; maybe he put his head on Jisoo’s shoulder during a movie when he was sleepy, or held his hand when he told an exciting story, but... they had limits. Almost broken by that night at the club, but that was a weird occurrence. So still limits. Before Jisoo saw the deep sadness in Seokmin's eyes and was weakened by it, let him in his bed.

The dynamic of angel-demon always hung over them. Jisoo would have wanted to get closer to Seokmin, truly become his friend, but he felt like he had to be the one to temper their relationship so Seokmin didn’t get too excited. He was still affected by his warmth, by his kindness, but he succeeded in staying away. Until today, when Seokmin was just so broken, so destroyed by the knowledge.

There’s just... it's bothering Jisoo. Angels through training, when they’re done with it and their human bodies have to die for their angel souls to advance to heaven, die easily. Their purpose on Earth is to make friends, understand humans, see what they’re like. They don’t have family, but their death is usually an easy one. Heart attacks, diseases, things like these that give the people who were their friends peace after a while.

Not... not car accidents, not murders, that leave the people behind with a need for revenge, to know things, with pain. Not fires, not things falling, not anything of the sort. Not anything violent. And certainly not through hurting others. When they became angels, Jisoo and Jeonghan died of heart failure, even if they were young. Their friends knew they met in the hospital because of heart disease when they were children, so they understood.

Violent deaths... He shudders. It means... Seokmin could have been honest when he said he doesn't want to go. And Heaven knows.

And that's terrifying.

Jisoo's eyes inadvertently fall on Seokmin, trying to search, to find in him what happened.

Except instead of sleeping, Seokmin's eyes are wide open.

"Hyung," his voice is raw, disarming. In his eyes, Jisoo sees... he doesn't even know what he sees.

Jisoo forgot to close his blinds; the moonlight shines bright in the room, illuminates Seokmin's expression. Jisoo can't miss it, when Seokmin inches just that little bit closer.

"I don't wanna go."

Jisoo blinks at him. He registers Seokmin's knee poking into his thigh from where he's curled on his side, eyes intense and bright despite the low light of the room. Like everything about him. Bright.

"I wanna stay with you."

Jisoo closes his eyes.

"Please."

"What are you begging me for, Seokmin?"

"Kiss me."

That's all it takes. A reciprocated kiss, and it's all gone.

Jisoo opens his eyes.

"I won't. Wake up, Seokmin. What do you think you're doing?" He asks him, and he feels the fire begging to be let free. To lash at him for playing with Jisoo's feelings like that, for being so unconscious. To hurt. To make him regret even thinking about it.

"Don't do that."

"What are you thinking? Are you insane? Are you going to..."

"Don't. Don't try to hurt me." His voice is surer than Jisoo's, even though it wavers with pain.

Jisoo calms down. One prompting from Seokmin, and he calms down. It's terrifying, how much power he has over him.

"Don't you see, hyung? I'm already lost. I'm already gone. I can't go back and lie, pretend that instead of spending my time on Earth learning how to be a good angel, I've spent all of it looking at _you._ "

Jisoo's heart breaks a little at his confession. It... he knew. But knowing deep inside, somewhere you don't want to reach, and having it told to you is different.

"No, Seokmin. You're good. You're made to be an angel. You're kind, loving, bright, made to lead, to create, to nurture."

"I can be that as a human."

Jisoo scoffs.

"You won't. Humans are weak, you'll become corrupted."

"I already am. _And it's alright._ "

Seokmin kisses him.

His lips on Jisoo's feel like he's in Heaven again. Soft but sure, decisive; like always, Seokmin controls, leads, pushes.

Jisoo doesn't kiss him back. No matter how much he yearns to, how every little bit of demon inside him urges to take, to ruin him for anyone else ever again, to have Seokmin be his, the promise of forever on the tip of his tongue...

He doesn't. Seokmin pulls away, noticing that Jisoo hasn't moved.

"I won't do that to you," he whispers, Seokmin's hand finding his way into his.

"You're not doing anything to me," he whispers back, the space between them too small. Too small for Jisoo to hold back, to be able to control his nature. "I did it to myself."

Despite himself, Jisoo interlocks their fingers. He's _weak._

"It's not that I'm terrified to go. It's not. I know that... if I had to, I'd do fine. As an angel. It would be fine. I just... I don't want to. I want to be here. With you," he squeezes Jisoo's hand. "You've taught me so much. That demons aren't bad, that even in the afterlife, the "good" ones are the ones who hurt the ones like us, who are different, who dare to think of more. The ones who will banish you from doing anything they think will break their "perfect" system.

I don't want to be in that system. I'll come to Hell, fine, and then I'll be like you. A good demon. One that ensures there's not too much of the _good,_ too much of it to hurt. And I'll help from there. You're not evil."

"I'm not good, Seokmin-ah."

"You're good," he whispers, a hand on Jisoo's cheek. "You've shown it to me so many times. You care about the people around you more than any angel I've seen, more than those who do it for their own sake, for the name of it, for the power. I see it in you. Why don't you see it?"

"You always see the good in people, Seokmin-ah. I'm telling you..."

"I only see it because it's there," Seokmin counteracts, cutting him short. "I've already made up my mind, hyung. I'm not becoming an angel. I can... I can do it from there, or I can do it now. Be with you."

Jisoo closes his eyes again. Looking at Seokmin's, seeing the stars in his eyes... he won't make the right decision.

"I know you feel it too. I'm not blind. I know. Just... please. Look at me."

Jisoo looks, bears the full weight of his stare.

"You'll be giving it up forever. Forever, Seokmin-ah."

"I know," he smiles. "I'll either be human, or I'll go to Hell. Wherever it is, I know I'll be good. And I know I'll have you."

Jisoo places his hand on Seokmin's cheek, sees his eyes close, his happy smile. He's made up his mind.

So who is Jisoo to deny him what he wants?

He kisses him. He kisses him with all he has, with what feels like centuries' worth of feelings. They probably are.

It feels _right._ Seokmin's lips under his, his hand sneaking into his hair and holding onto Jisoo's nape, not letting him get away. The deep breath Seokmin takes through his nose, just to continue kissing him, how he comes closer, his chest pressing on Jisoo's chest, the smoothness of his skin under Jisoo's hands.

The energy, how much he puts into the kiss, how much he wants it, how eager he is, how sure, how happy, his lips turning up for just a second, before he dives in more, kisses Jisoo deeper, more, stronger. How his hand tightens even more in his hair, how his other hand on Jisoo's waist feels demanding, possessive.

Maybe it's not that he corrupted Seokmin. Maybe Seokmin corrupted him, warped him and owned him, Jisoo helpless to how much he is, how much love he has to give. When he pulls away, their lips making a loud noise, Seokmin smiles, like he got everything he wanted.

When they wake up, nothing will be the same. But that doesn't matter now. As Seokmin cuddles into him, hugs him, Jisoo's lips buried in his hair, nothing else matters.

"I love you," he whispers, low. Jisoo's sure he didn't mistake the words. "I've loved you for such a long time."

Demons are not supposed to feel. Demons are supposed to do nothing but hurt, damage, while angels do good, heal, repair.

Jisoo thinks that they might have found the bridge between those two things.

"I love you too."

\---

"Oh my god!" Seungkwan exclaims the next day when he and Seokmin walk in hand-in-hand to their weekly gathering. "You two!"

Everybody claps and shouts and Soonyoung whistles, congratulations getting thrown around.

"Finally!" Someone exclaims, and Jisoo smiles.

Seokmin grins and pulls Jisoo by the hand to sit next to him on the bench of the restaurant. "I know, right? I don't know why I never asked Jisoo-hyung out. But... yeah," he grins to Jisoo, large and beautiful, a blush high on his cheeks. Treacherous, Jisoo's heart skips a beat.

Out of courtesy, when angels decide to break the ultimate law and become human, banned from ever being angels again, Heaven wipes all their memories of their afterlife, forging a fake knowledge of their current human life.

Hell doesn't. Jisoo remembers it all. If Seokmin goes to Heaven and Jisoo has to return to Hell, who knows what will happen? Maybe Jisoo will find him in Hell later, and maybe he'll remind him, or maybe they'll be fated to live without each other for the rest of forever.

But it's alright. Jisoo hopes for that forever, but he will live with the memories and the uncertainty if it means having Seokmin, even if only for a human lifetime. 

**Author's Note:**

> ***Don't drink and drive, even hours after. Take an Uber, take a cab, have a sober friend drive you. You might kill an angel if you do.
> 
> Anyway, I really hope you all liked this (I cried a lot whoops, SeokSoo has me whipped now,) and I'm looking forward to seeing what you thought! My requests are currently closed, but hit me up on Twitter or CuriousCat at @bbysvts. <3 Thank you for reading. <3


End file.
